Bridgetown, Barbados. May 07, 2025. On Wednesday 7th May, 2025 the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) brought attention to what has been described as “an urgent but often overlooked challenge of our time” at its 69th Annual Health Research Conference - Mental Health: The Hidden Pandemic.
Mental health is a key aspect of our health and well-being and studies have shown that mental disorders can reduce life expectancy by 10 to 20 years. In her Remarks at the Opening Session of the three-day Health Research Conference, Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director CARPHA stated, “Depression and anxiety disorders account for nearly 50% of the disability-adjusted life years in our Region, with approximately 1 in 4 adults experiencing a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetime”. This was corroborated by The Most Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness, Barbados who revealed, “Around 15% of disabilities in Barbados are linked to mental health conditions”.
Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) pointed out that “the COVID-19 pandemic amplified mental health challenges, even in previously unaffected populations, resulting in a 35% increase in major depressive disorders and a 32% increase in anxiety disorders in 2020”.
Young people are also severely affected by this growing issue. Dr. Indar emphasised, “Mental health is not a side issue. It is not an afterthought. It is central to the health of our societies”. She added, “Most troubling is emerging data reporting that Caribbean adolescents experience rates of depression approximately 15% higher than the global average, with contributing factors including academic pressure, exposure to violence, and limited youth-focused mental health resources”. Dr Sealey-Thomas revealed, “The Caribbean ranks among those with the highest suicide rates worldwide, claiming the lives of more than 100,000 people each year”.
Despite this heavy burden, it is reported that over 70% of people who need mental health care in our Region, do not receive it. The Most Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott explained, “The greatest obstacle we face is stigma; it keeps too many of us silent. It delays treatment, deepens suffering, and, in its most devastating form, leads to preventable loss of life”. In addition, Dr Indar revealed that mental health receives just over 4% of healthcare budgets across much of the Region.
However, it is noteworthy that the Caribbean has made some advances in improving mental health care, particularly in mental health legislation and the decentralisation of mental health care from psychiatric hospitals and suicide prevention.
The Most Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott stated, “The Government of Barbados is taking decisive action to strengthen mental health support with the establishment of Lifeline Barbados, a 24-hour national mental health hotline, providing confidential emotional support and crisis intervention for individuals in distress.
Since its establishment in 2024, Minister Walcott said calls to the hotline addressed issues ranging from anxiety, depression, suicidal and homicidal ideation, substance abuse and social challenges. He explained, “The Ministry of Health and Wellness is also working closely with PAHO/WHO to review and modernise the Mental Health Legislation, to ensure that individuals with mental disorders have access to more responsive and high-quality mental health care”.
CARPHA promotes mental health as a fundamental aspect of human development. Dr Indar encouraged the Region to continue to make strides by transforming our approach from crisis response to proactive promotion of well-being. She stated that success requires a whole-of-society approach, forging new partnerships such as technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and resource mobilisation efforts. Dr. Indar also urged the Region to commit to building mental health systems that emphasise prevention, honour cultural context, and ensure that no one suffers in silence.
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